


Warm

by Abiggaynerd



Category: Don't Starve (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Cuddling & Snuggling, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-19
Updated: 2019-08-19
Packaged: 2020-09-07 06:50:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 730
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20305228
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Abiggaynerd/pseuds/Abiggaynerd
Summary: Maxwell can’t remember what humans feel like.





	Warm

“Higgsbury.”

Wilson frowns at Maxwell’s voice. He turns around to face him. “What are you d-“ 

Maxwell looks awful. Nothing like the dapper, infuriatingly put-together man he always appears as- right now, he looks pathetic. His suit is nowhere near as dapper as it was before, now raggedy and old. His teeth are sharp- Wilson could’ve sworn they didn’t look like that before. His hair is messy and greasy. He isn’t as tall as he normally projects himself, and his gloves are gone, reveling hands that are pure black with... are those claws? But the oddest thing is that Maxwell’s eyes are wide open and frantic, and he looks like he’s been crying. 

“Maxwell?” 

“Higgsbury.” Maxwell takes a shaky step towards Wilson. “Higgsbury, please.” 

“What-“ 

“Let me touch you,” Maxwell says. Wilson recoils in shock. 

“WHAT?” 

“I- I know it’s-“ Maxwell fidgets like he’s unsure of what to do, “I can’t- Hig- Wilson, please.” 

“I-“

“I can’t remember what it feels like,” Maxwell says. He’s hyperventilating. “I can’t remember, I was thinking, and thinking, and please, Wilson, I can’t remember.” His hands shake. 

“Can’t- can’t remember what?” 

“Touch,” Maxwell moans. “I can’t remember what it feels like. Other humans. I can’t. Please, Wilson, I beg you, just a moment, I just need to remember.” 

“I- I don’t know...” It’s disturbing. Wilson has never seen Maxwell like this before. Angry, sure. But never... desperate. It makes his gut flip.

Maxwell falls onto his knees. “Please. Please.” 

“I- alright... Fine.” 

Wilson takes Maxwell’s hand and places it on his cheek. 

—

Humans are warm. 

How could he have forgotten that? 

He feels the thrum of Wilson’s ever persistent heart under his skin. He strokes his thumb up and down over Wilson’s skin, careful not to scratch him. He’s so soft. Maxwell had forgotten how soft humans were. Almost fuzzy. And warm. 

Wilson swallows, and Maxwell feels it under his fingers. 

Maxwell feels something inside him, very breakable. He shakes. 

Maxwell lifts his other hand up, slowly, waiting for Wilson to say no, but Wilson doesn’t protest and lets Maxwell place his hand so, so carefully on the back of his neck. 

Hair. It was soft. He had forgotten. He stroked it reverently. His hand fell on Wilson’s neck. Soft. Warm. Wilson was so fragile. 

Maxwell slowly, so slowly, gently placed his head on Wilson’s chest. 

He pressed his ear to Wilson’s chest. His heart beat. He could hear it. He had forgotten it made noise. He felt Wilson breath. In, out. Maxwell hadn’t breathed in so long. His hands went down to Wilson’s arms, clinging, as if if he let go he would be adrift. Wilson was warm, and his heart beat, and he was breathing.

Maxwell took a shaky breath. 

Wilson placed his hands on Maxwell’s back. 

Maxwell burst into tears. 

“Hey, um, don’t cry.” 

Wilson awkwardly pats his back, and Maxwell cries harder. He doesn’t think he could let go if he wanted to. 

“I- alright, hang on.” 

Wilson adjusts until he is sitting on the ground. Maxwell is a puddle in his lap, face still buried in his chest. Wilson puts his chin on Max’s head, and one hand strokes his back while the other holds firm. A lifeboat.

“I didn’t know you were from earth,” says Wilson, eventually, when Maxwell’s crying dies down. 

“I can barely remember it myself,” Maxwell says tiredly. He doesn’t feel like a human.

“And I didn’t know you were human...” 

“I don’t know if I am, anymore.” 

Wilson doesn’t stop rubbing his back. 

“Do you... like it?”

“No.”

“We could go. We can leave together. If you and I just work together-“

Maxwell realizes he’s made a horrible mistake. 

He shoves Wilson off him and backs away. “No!”

“If you hate it too, there’s no reason to stay- why not help me!” 

“You have no idea what you’re talking about!” 

“Maxwell-“ 

“I- I apologize for my momentary lack of judgement. It won’t happen again. Go back to surviving, or dying, whatever-“

“Maxwell!”

“I’ll be seeing you, Higgsbury.”

Maxwell is back on the throne in an instant. It’s cold. 

He is able to remember how humans feel now. He feels worse than before. Perhaps forgetting was a blessing. 

He thinks about heartbeats. 

He thinks about warmth. 

He thinks about softness. 

He thinks about breathing. 

Maxwell tries to breathe again. It sounds like a tea kettle.


End file.
